In rare tweet, Goodell says NFL has “bright future”

On Friday, he dusted it off for the first time since September 5, the first day of the 2013 regular season. And he sent five total messages.

The first two focused on Friday’s fundraising event at the Brooks-DeBartolo Collegiate High School in Tampa, where Goodell appeared and spoke to the media. He then pointed out that, on Thursday, the Commissioner visited with the Associated Press Sports Editors to discuss the “future” of the NFL.

Goodell capped that with these two back-to-back sentiments: (1) “We have a bright future due to strength & quality of the game, players, coaches & fan interest”; and (2) “We always have our challenges but we are excited to meet and exceed them.”

It’s not clear what motivated the spontaneous display of confidence. MDS thinks it’s a subtle response to the Mark Cuban theory that the fat hog will soon be slaughtered. It’s also possibly a reaction to the widespread frustration regarding the two-week delay of this year’s draft, which is now parked on Mother’s Day weekend (and which will compel scouts and coaches and other football operations people to spend Mother’s Day chasing undrafted free agents).

With more than 15,500 votes cast since Friday on our poll regarding draft timing, an improbable 96.33 percent prefer the draft to be held in April, not May.

The league remains incredibly strong, and the NFL constantly strives to get better. But it remains important when pushing forward to be willing to revisit past decisions that may need to be adjusted — and to learn from those mistakes when considering more changes that may be more luxury than necessity.

For now, the NFL’s biggest looming potential shifts relate to the expansion of the playoffs, the contraction of the preseason, and the relocation of team(s) to London or Los Angeles. The 18-game regular season also continues to simmer, but with no real effort by the league office currently to make it happen.

The NFL is hardly broken. But in an effort to climb even higher, there’s always a chance the league will slip.

The salary cap keeps going up & up. The game is not played until Sept!Draft & decisions, gets anticipation like no other.. The playoffs in other sports are going on & i see more NFL! So I’m to believe in this slaughter? The Nfl is genius! Scared of change are we?

Has anybody ever seen him and Brian France, the head of NASCAR together?

I think they are both the same person, they are both hellbent on ruining their sport

ghost26 says:Apr 26, 2014 2:40 PM

In rare tweet, Goodell says NFL has “bright future”

Not if he continues to be Commissioner. The play on the field has started to get watered down for a number of reasons;

1) Most teams aren’t ready until Week 3. The first two weeks are sloppy due in part to the changes to how much the players can practice. Getting rid of two a days in training camp is a disservice to the players & the coaching staffs. Shame on the Player’s Union for this nonsense.

2) Too many personal fouls & fines for hits that are unintentional. This is a Goodell & league office disaster. They need to relax these penalties b/c it’s ruining the games.

3) With the NFL’s focus on higher scoring the rules for DB’s make it nearly impossible. While this is great for people who play ‘fantasy football’ the real football on the field is being diluted.

4) QB’s are WAY too protected. They might as well wear red jerseys b/c it’s a joke if you touch someone like Brady. Plus you have more & more QB’s who are calling for the penalties & crying to the refs which is just beyond lame.

I can think of three teams that had defenses that played well throughout the year–the Seahawks, the Niners, & the Panthers. Other than that it’s hit or miss for everyone else each week.

Every time this guy says something it makes me think more and more that he studied under Vince McMahon. He is the head heel that everybody loves to hate and he just smiles and smiles and counts his cash

I used to be a Roger Goodell fan………………but, if you could please return football back to the way it was “before” he was named commissioner with kickoffs, the draft held the last weekend (Saturday and Sunday) in April and stop prostituting and ruining this game by saying fans want the playoff system expanded (which they do not, I’ve never met a person who wanted the playoffs expanded), then maybe by going back we can have a future to look forward to in NFL football! P.S. And stop running overseas for games also!!!

If this new playoff system were in place in 2013 the two additional wild card spots would have gone to a 10-6 team and added another 8 win team to the playoffs

Same thing in 2012

In 2011 a 9-7 team and another 8-8 team would have gotten in – again, no different than the current system… Not the best teams but we have seen 9-7 teams get hot and win the SB before and no one said the game was ruined

In 2010 under the CURRENT PLAYOFF STRUCTURE a 7-9 team went to the playoffs. Two 10-6 teams from the NFC stayed home and watched along with a 9-7 AFC team

In 2009 two more 9-7 teams would have made the playoffs (joining the 9-7 teams already there)

And of course in 2008 fans were treated to watching a 8-8 team in the playoffs rather than an 11-5 team that was left out

If fans actually stop to think they’d see that mediocre teams are ALREADY in the playoffs…

The only thing that will change is now you’ll have more 11-5 and 10-6 teams.

Everyone said expansion was going to ruin the NFL in 1990 as well folks. Wake up.

Football025 beat me to the punch! When is Goodell retiring! He,s an absolute TOOL!

bobzilla1001 says:Apr 26, 2014 3:42 PM

Roger is in denial.
If Goodell really wanted to improve his product, he’d convince the owners that a third of their teams’ payrolls ought not go to quarterbacks, which would free up more money to be spend on quality players. Cutting five starters to pay one guy is insane.

Funny that Roger hasn’t sold “stock” to fleece the fans, works for some other sheep in the league!

staffordsyear says:Apr 26, 2014 3:48 PM

This ship is sinking..at least i will get a kick at the draft when he gets booed. This year should be pretty loud.

Come to think about it if i was getting booed by the people who basically pay my salary i would think something isn’t right. This guy just doesn’t seem to get it or maybe he just doesn’t care. I wish we still had Tagliabue as the commish.

Goodell made around 44 million last year alienating just about everyone who plays, coaches, or watches pro football… how in the hell is that even possible ? And even worse, what does that say about us as fans that we continue to tolerate it ? If this guy was the CEO of any Fortune 500 company in the country, with the kind of approval rating he surely must have, he’d be out the door in a heartbeat. The owners need to wake up and show him the door before Mark Cuban becomes a prophet.

youhurtmyfeelings says:Apr 26, 2014 4:44 PM

Do a Redskins name change poll, and then send it to him! Then he can see how much momentum our movement has made!!!

Roger sleeps well every night knowing that he cannot make a mistake (never has). All is good in the NFL and we are lucky to have a genius who is blessed with perfect wisdom and knowledge. He earned every cent of the $44M last year – but shucks, he’s still just a regular guy.
To the guys who start booing when he strides triumphant to the stage to announce that the Houston Texans are on the clock, like every other NFL fan, I’m with you in spirit. Make this year the loudest and best boos that Roger has ever heard.

Get real. The NFL is in a decline. As sure as can be, when they start to even talk about it, rest assured, it’s already a HUGE problem. Raise prices a little more, expand the season, license more Tee Vee games, try more play off games, new teams in Europe, schedule more games in Europe, anything to bring in new revenue, send the Bills to Canada , anything to make money…….

usdcoyotesfan says:Apr 26, 2014 7:40 PM

I’m not buying any merchandise as long as goodell (lowercase intentional) is the commissioner.

The Nike Football League is alienating old fans in favor of the younger crowd. It is definitely more of a ‘product’ than it ever was and I don’t think much of the younger generation know the difference between Hot Topic and the real thing..

As much complaining as I read in these comments about rule changes, playoff expansion, and how much money Goodell makes, the solution is simple. You don’t have have to consume it, don’t buy the Manning jersey, or tune in. Regardless of how I feel about potential changes, you can be damn sure I am watching every Sunday. Watch the NBA instead, and enjoy the fact that the Heat win again, and that no parity exists. Seriously, I have never seen so many complaints about more football……

johnnyb216 says:Apr 27, 2014 2:38 AM

Ooh. He must’ve sensed the minions were getting restless…

footballrulz says:Apr 27, 2014 2:39 PM

Goodell played out his “rookie” contract in 2011 & is now on his first “big money” contract. Maybe the NFL will get smart and not pick up his option for the 4th year.